1885 novel by Emile Zola (8)

I believe the answer is:

germinal

(Other definitions for germinal that I've seen before include "Novel by Zola; in an early stage of development" , "Embryonic; Zola novel" , "In a sort of cell" , "a month after the French Revolution" , "Relating to earliest stages of development" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.

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